The Second Second Chance
by The WGPM
Summary: Overcome by guilt after the Gym challenge, Gloria starts to believe she is the last person in Galar who deserves to be Champion. With Hop's confidence plunging, she only owes it to him when given the chance to redo it all. But at what cost, when a Rookidee is more defensive than his self-esteem? (Major spoilers for the end of SwSh. Postwickshipping only if you want it to be.)
1. What He Could Have Been

**Welcome, welcome. Been a while. So, Sword and Shield made me feel some things, don't know about you, and... this happened. Few things!**

**One, I don't own Pokémon or any of its properties; getting that out of the way. Two, major spoilers for the end of SwSh abound; read at your own risk! Three, I played Shield, as a girl, and picked Scorbunny, so this story will treat those as canon. Shouldn't be hard to mentally substitute your preferred conditions if that's what floats your boat. Four, I know that's not how Wishing Stars work, but ever since I first saw them I wanted to use them as a plot device somehow, so roll with it. (Five, I'm American, so my British and Scottish spelling/slang are not, how you say, authentic. But I love the headcanon of Gloria as a rowdy Scot, so let me know if I got anything wrong! This is a learning experience in dialects for me.)**

**Lastly, I know I'm going to get yelled at for capitalizing the names of Pokémon species and certain other things, so just - don't waste your time telling me not to, because I'm doing it.**

**Anyway, apparently this week is Postwickshipping Week, so nice, I was accidentally on time for something! That said, it's only ship if you want it to be. Enjoy!**

* * *

It had been days since Gloria had seen either of them.

Leon, the unbeatable Champion, who had never experienced a loss before this week, had last been sighted at Rose Tower in north Wyndon. Doing what, Gloria could make some guesses, but thinking on it for too long just saddened her. Hop, his brother and heir to the title, was even less present.

The former was an adult, in honesty, and as much as Gloria cared about him, he would have to learn loss at some point. She knew him, and knew that such a blow to his pride was unprecedented, but he would bounce back: he was Leon. Hop, however - oh, Hop. Gloria had not left the Wild Area once in the past week, searching high and low for the kid. He had to be here somewhere: nobody who knew him had seen him in any of Galar's vast cities.

At least Gloria's Pokémon liked the training, and that was certain. A proper help it was to her now, though, no closer to making the apology she had been rehearsing since the day of the semifinals.

Hop deserved to win. It was him, not her. He was the one who watched each of the Champion's matches, read all of his books, consistently picked apart his battling advice for years before he even met Grookey. Hop lived in constant awareness of his brother's accomplishments, and truly believed he was the one destined to take Leon's place in the League.

What did Gloria have? Other than a level forty Pokémon Go account, and that was only because she lived on a stop.

It was nearing midnight now. Gloria turned and coughed into her shoulder, phlegm scraping along her esophagus. She was not optimistic about the prospects of sleep tonight, despite the heavy bags now weighing down her eyes. Some Champion she was - having eaten nothing but berries and berry curry for a week; being awakened by some terrifying feral Dark-Type or another multiple times every night; bathing in the shallower parts of Lake Axewell, the dye in her hair long faded; relieving herself under the watchful gaze of the Pidove that always seemed to be around.

And all for what? To swallow her pride and admit she was feeling guilty? Right! Gloria, of all people! Pointless, that was what it was. Not like she could change what happened now. Gloria had already won in both the semifinals and the finals, crushing the dreams of both purple-haired brothers. But why?

For fun? To see what would happen, to see if she could? For her Pokémon's sake, for Zamazenta's sake? Imagine the headlines: Newbie Trainer Chosen by the Fabled Hero Zamazenta Captures Eternatus, Narrowly Quells Darkest Day, Dethrones Reigning Champion Leon! Except Gloria did not have to imagine it. She lived it, and she saw it. But most of that was true for Hop too. How much better a headline it could have been: Brother of Reigning Champion Leon Chosen by Fabled Hero Zacian, Quells the Darkest Day, Becomes New League Champ! The kind of hero Gloria always heard about, vanquishing evil and meeting legends, then becoming the Champion. Such straightforward narratives, such clear accomplishments. Gloria remembered - vaguely, because she was young - when Leon became Champion: he was the talk of everywhere south of the Wild Area for the next year. Not that the topic of conversation ever strayed too far from his name since; how Hop had resisted suffocation by it for this long, Gloria could not figure. Leon was a legend among the likes of Sun, of May, of even Red! If Gloria had ever expected herself to join them, she would have at least wanted to win with a little panache! She used Max Revives in the final battle, for crying out loud - was that even in the rules? And who saves the day with a _shield _for a weapon of choice, anyway?

So Gloria sat there, stirring her nth pot of curry. She was really growing weary of the taste of Oran Berries, to which she had switched after Cheris started making her sick. Not only that, two days ago, a nasty cough had lodged itself in her throat; she hoped it would pass soon, but no such luck. By now, she could no longer put her heart into the cooking, either. It was late, yet her mind was too frustrated for sleep.

At least here in the wilderness, kilometres away from any semblance of civilization, Gloria could see all the stars.

If only she had just lost to Hop. It was such a close battle, she surely could have. The poor boy needed it, much more than she. After everything, all the self-doubt, all the losses... a win in that battle would have been beautiful for him. Even if he ended up losing in the finals, then - at least Leon could still say he was undefeated. His sole personality trait, that.

Who was Gloria to steal away the Champion title in the first place? The first person to take down Leon, the legend, the undefeated, was his own brother and biggest fan...'s neighbour? She was not even the one who helped out with the wild Dynamax Pokémon before the Darkest Day: Leon was. Gloria was only on Hammerlocke Stadium's roof at Hop's suggestion to help, and she only battled Eternatus because it happened to attack her first. Nothing about Gloria made her special enough to deserve that spot in the finals, much less to win. All she had was an intense love of Pokémon, but so did only everybody else! Hop, though, he had everything going for him.

After all he had been through, he should have had the chance to at least try against Leon. It would have been so great! People only really got to know each other in Galar by having battles together, after all. They would have bonded so much more - he did not even get to do that. Instead, he lost before even making it there; how embarrassing for both brothers. Bede must have felt satisfied.

And Leon. He only lost because he was still injured from the Darkest Day, Gloria believed. He would never let anybody know it, but she knew him well enough to know he was not in top shape like usual before their match.

What rubbish! Leon only gave her a Pokémon so she could be a rival to Hop. No; no, he did see potential in her - he watched her grow up alongside him, after all. But that was the only reason Leon gave her an endorsement: he was counting on Gloria being just weaker than his brother long enough to push him through the League. Like that boy needed any pushing!

Gloria chomped down on her tongue.

The rice was dry and the potatoes starchy, just how Mum would make them. The trainer looked up from her meal at the sound of something tough clanging against the sides of her cauldron.

She peered into the rim, nearly dropping her filthy, overused plate.

It was just like the one in her Dynamax Band: a Wishing Star, that had streaked across the unfiltered sky, staining it briefly with a shimmering red. All thoughts of food forgotten, Gloria set down her meal.

_That's it, then. I'll make things right. Back in the semifinals, Hop should have won. Help me fix it?_

The stone was hot to the touch; but then, what did Gloria expect. She scooped it up into her grubby, lakewater-sanitated clutches, closed her eyes, and waited.

* * *

"Challenger Gloria, you're on in five!"

The girl looked up in slight surprise. "Er, what?"

"Hop's match was over quicker than expected. You're on in five."

Gloria was in her challenger uniform, freshly showered, Poké Balls at her side, deliberating in Wyndon Stadium's locker room. Was it shock or nerves that she was feeling? She had nary a clue.

Yet she grinned. She was about to make someone's day, after all. And how long it had been since she had seen him.

* * *

With a renewed sense of martyrdom, Gloria took to the pitch. Her dye restored, her cough cured, and her stomach settled, she was the picture of the Gym challenger her fans all bragged about. The excitement in the stadium was inescapable, as always. People were shouting her name and number above the lighthearted welcoming music. Any doubts about what Gloria was doing were overpowered by the crushing sense of thrill permeating about all of north Galar. It was soon replaced by nerves, then the elation of seeing someone dearly missed.

Blood rushed to Gloria's face when she spotted Hop, as if she was not expecting to - and how hard to miss he was.

Aye, Gloria remembered this. If she had continued the way she did the first time, this would have been the face of her neighbour and friend in the last moments before his dreams were crushed for good. This time, it would be the face of the League challenger who had defeated eight Gym Leaders, survived the first round of the semifinals, and was shortly about to beat his rival for the first time, destined to face his brother for the coveted title of Champion. It was going to be so delicious for Gloria, watching from the stands.

Never having been much of a talker, Gloria allowed Hop to say his piece, waxing reminiscent about the day they set off together. "The one who'll become Champion is me!" he insisted. She would see to it.

But she could not let him know that, so she returned. "We'll see, Hops. Dinnae caw canny!"

* * *

It was a little embarrassing, truly, the ease with which she could convincingly throw the battle. The lack of healing items, all of which she sold prior to the match, would have made it difficult to win if she was trying. Not even her Pokémon seemed to pick up on what she was doing.

As for Gloria herself, she had seen enough trainers lose to know just how to act. Nobody seemed to suspect a thing: it was the perfect loss, all out on both sides.

Naturally, Hop was ecstatic. True to his name, he was bouncing around on the balls of his feet, throwing himself into his Rillaboom, who lifted and held him further into the air. The crowd was equally satisfied with the battle's outcome, as Gloria's ears were made very aware. _Eh! They didnae cheer this loud when I won!_

The trainers met in the centre of the pitch, their faces betraying emotions of indescribable range. As was customary, they shook hands. When Gloria expected to let go, Hop pulled her in for a brief sportsmanlike hug, repeating his gratitude, and his apologies, and his surprise, and his thrill.

Yes, this was right. This was how it was supposed to go. Gloria assured Hop of how far he had come, and the two disengaged.

"I'm going to do it. I'm going to beat him, Glory!" Hop's eyes were squinting upwards, and his imperfect smile of teeth was visible across the region. "For you - I promise! I'm going to make your loss worth it."

Gloria laughed heartily. "You-" she got serious for a second. "You better."

Then the smile returned. "Ah'm so proud of ye!"

"I am too!"

"And there we have it!" an announcer reported. "The winner of the semifinals and the trainer with the opportunity to participate in the finals is Challenger Hop! Tomorrow's battles will prove to be some of the most exciting we've seen in years."

* * *

Relief washed over Gloria as she accompanied the victor to the Rose of the Rondelands Hotel, where they were due to meet with Leon for an exquisite celebratory dinner. The girl salivated at the thought of any food that was not curry or raw berries. She remembered with interest what happened last time, curious how the next few hours waiting with Hop would play out differently. She was certainly excited to hear his plan for the battle.

Say... No, strike that, the two were never supposed to have waited hours.

_Pure dead brilliant._

She was nearly about to invent an excuse to leave when the two were stopped by a couple of reporters. "Challenger Gloria! Spare a tick for an interview?"

Funny. They asked her last time too, when she won; well, she would humour them. "Alright." Quickly, though - she had to act fast.

"How does it feel to have lost to your rival for the first time?"

"Uh... it's - it's right disappointing, truly. But Ah'm glad it was my mate Hop, if I had to lose to anybody."

"Right, second question! If you wanted to tell Challenger Hop something right now, what would it be?"

"I'd say-" She resisted the pressure to look the mere metre to her left, where he was standing. "You've gotten so much stronger than I expected."

"Question number three! Level with me, kiddo. Your honest thoughts here. Think he can win the finals, too?"

He was standing right there! Gloria attempted to speak, but she choked. "I absolutely do."

Perhaps embarrassed by the attention, Hop stepped up. "Hey now, we're both already cream-crackered from the battles, and you're asking some pretty rude questions!"

The interviewer looked as though she had just spotted him. "Oh, Challenger Hop! Glad to see you. How does it feel to have finally beaten-"

"What?"

This was Gloria's chance. "Ye know, Ah'm gonna just - go - I jus' remembered, I forgot something in the Pokémon Centre earlier. Dinnae wait up, and ey, do some training; ye're going to need it fer tomorrow!"

She felt bad, but before Hop could protest further, she had left and was climbing onto the nearby flying taxi. She would have to make this quick.

* * *

Last night had been hectic, but so far today was going to plan.

Opening the door to the power plant under Hammerlocke Stadium was a cinch once Gloria realised an Electric-Type move would destroy the lock. With Oleana and the League staff members defending Rose in Wyndon, strangely, Eternatus was completely unguarded - having yet to awaken, it was also a remarkably easy catch with a lucky Quick Ball. Macro Cosmos must be in a bit of panic about now, realising this, Gloria figured with a chuckle, but what could they do of it? Whatever they were trying to accomplish - even having lived it once before, Gloria did not fully understand it - it was done under very covert orders. Thus, swooping in behind the scenes to stop today's scheduled interruption before it started was a simple matter, and now all there was to do was cheer on Hop from the sidelines.

Little did he seem to need it, however. Hop's recent string of victories continued with a quick dismantling of Bede's team. Bloomin' _Bede!_ They all really deserved the loss, and Hop needed the win, especially after all the self-doubt they caused him in the first place. If it was not for Bede's meddling early in their adventures, Gloria wondered if Hop would have taken his original loss to her so poorly. Considering this, Bede's defeat was all the more tantalising to both of them. Hop, after every knockout, was increasingly on top of the world. One could hear it in his voice.

In fact, after how little sleep she got last night, Bede's interruption nearly surprised Gloria a second time. That is, when she returned to the hotel after finishing her business in Hammerlocke, Hop had been waiting for hours - as expected, but it was necessary. He was a bit miffed, but thankfully Leon was not far behind, and the three wound up having a pleasant dinner after all, one which lasted well past the evening and into the morning. It was wonderful, seeing the two brothers get along so well, both knowing they would be enemies tomorrow. When the conversation allowed, Leon even slid some tips Hop's way: the matter of critical hits was a serious one, and be sure to remember those type matchups. List for me every Type resisted by Steel? As for Gloria, who so missed sleeping on a bed - much less the plush, luxurious mattresses of the Rondelands - the little sleep she did get was grand.

Hop had been great, silencing Nessa, Allister, and Raihan in her place, securing his chance to battle his brother. Visibly on top of the world now, it was time for Hop and his team to face Leon and his.

After all this time, Gloria's rival assured her, he knew all of their weaknesses.

Two brothers took the pitch. From her place in the stands, it was easier for Gloria to see their faces on the big screen above everyone's heads, but she kept her eyes trained on their persons, tiny from here. A loudspeaker projected each of their words from the clip-on microphones they each wore.

"Well," Leon started. Gloria took a pull of her lemonade. "You know how popular my matches can get... but this sure is a crowd. Are you nervous?"

Hop's voice sure sounded different through the mic. He took a deep breath, then swallowed, his voice shaking: "Thrilled."

Leon nodded. "Good! Don't let it bother you too much. It's just me, you know. No hard feelings, just powerful moves."

Hop giggled. "Likewise, mate. No going easy just 'cause we're related, y'hear?"

Leon was not smiling. "Hop, I would never not go all out against you."

The audience's response was a hesitant, as if confused, "Aww?"

"G-Good! I hope you're ready to learn what it feels like to lose. I'm going to be the one to make it happen, and Lee, I'm going to have a champion time doing it."

Leon looked taken aback for a tick, then he smiled gleefully. "I can't wait to beat you."

Gloria, lemonade halfway depleted already, looked swiftly back and forth between the two. If Hop was having doubts, he was not showing it. Leon struck his signature Charizard pose, and the crowd - Gloria included, at her own dismay - erupted. He was just that stunning!

"I don't lose, Hopscotch. The final chapter of your legend starts now."

The camera was trained on Hop's face as the two took their places. Hop started lightly bouncing, taking a second to crack his neck. Leon adjusted his shoulders, his wrists. When he was ready, he unclasped his regal cape from the back of his uniform, tossing it to the turf.

Naturally, Hop had seen all his brother's pre-battle rituals before, but never this close.

Gloria remembered, briefly, the day Leon showed Hop and her just how far he could pitch a Poké Ball: he was competing with his Rhyperior, who was launching Rolycoly out of its arms. Leon won. They later discovered the Ball in Wedgehurst, underneath the Pokémon Centre window it had shattered.

So when Leon sent out Aegislash, Gloria could hardly see the movement. And, well, she knew how long Hop had been practicing his throw.

The girl gripped her beverage, voice booming love and support and excitement in equal quantities. This was _right_.

Gloria did not know Leon personally as well as his brother did, nor did she see all of his matches like he did. But she had seen enough to tell - unlike in his battle against her, there was a bit of nervousness behind the Champion's eyes.

* * *

Under Gloria's seat, a small Blipbug flinched as a plastic cup and its icy contents toppled onto it. Suddenly the ground was rumbling, and the popcorn kernels and chip crumbs it was hunting bounced in synchrony as the metal floor did.

The audience was wild, producing cheers loud enough to be heard from the top of Rose Tower. Not a bottom was in a seat, nor was a mouth closed, save for those of a certain trainer.

Gloria's jaw lifted shut, and her knees, weak, deposited her back into her chair. No... Surely she was not the only one expecting Hop to win, the only one supporting him? To her right, even the battlers' mum was shouting her pride.

Gloria just wanted to disappear. Was there a Wishing Star for that?

"Ladies and gentlemen of Galar... Your League Champion's eighteen thousandth, nine-hundred... and first consecutive victory!"

Hop was simmering in shock. Unable to meet his brother's eyes, he raised a Ball to withdraw his Pokémon.

Gloria could bear not to look, until her eyes were drawn upwards by Leon's booming voice. "Congratulations, Hop. You gave us all a proper brilliant match, worthy of my first with you. Thank you for the greatest battle I've ever had!"

Hop, clearly downtrodden, tried to stay optimistic. "Th-Thank you, Lee... Uh, I get it now, why they call you unbeatable." He paused. "That was - amazing."

Gloria's fists and jaw were clenched, vibrating furiously, but subtly. This was all wrong. She came back so Hop could win, she lost so Hop could win. She braved a week in the Wild Area attempting to find a defeated Hop and apologise; she sacrificed food, running water, and sleep so he would not have to feel so terrible about himself. And for what - to spoil the already undefeated with yet another victory? How had this all gone to pot so quickly?

She breathed deeply. If anyone noticed her reaction, they might become suspicious, so she joined in with a slow applaud.

Leon strode up to his brother, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder.

Gloria remembered when it was on hers.

He tore off his prized snapback and plopped it on Hop's undersized head. "Alright, lad. Thanks for adding to my streak - I'm proud of you, but make no mistake. I've been a trainer, and the Champion, for many years longer than you. In battle, I know what to do at every moment. Besides, heh, _nobody_ can defeat the unbeatable Leon!"

At this, cries of "Lee-on! Lee-on!" echoed in sync throughout the stadium, the usual signifier that the Champion had racked up another win. Silently, the one who could stood and removed herself from the stands.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! This story is not going to be long; it's already finished, in fact. There are three more chapters, which will go up on the fourteenth, eighteenth, and twenty-first of this month, with luck. Oh, and the doodle on the cover was made by yours truly.**

**Carpe Diem!**


	2. What She Couldn't Win

**Potentially OOC Hop incoming. I hope I did well with it, but there wouldn't be ~drama~ without our anxious character actually experiencing... anxiety. Anyway!**

**Thanks to whoever reviewed! I'll keep _fer_ in mind, and I did draw the picture. Yes, I am pumped for Twilight Wings! Every character has me excited, but I'm really looking forward to Hop's, Leon's, and Allister's episodes.**

**Happy Valentine's Day! Just in time for some light angst.**

* * *

Right dim of her it was to leave before even seeing where Hop had headed _again_.

Gloria kicked herself. Leon was impossible to get ahold of in the wake of the finals, so asking him was out of the question, and when Gloria asked, their mum thought Hop had left with her. She had already spent so long searching the Wild Area, and it seemed the only option was to do it all again. Maybe hope for another Wishing Star, but what were the odds of that happening? The Wishing Pieces already in her bag did not appear to have the same mysterious qualities of the Stars. And even if she was gifted one, defeating Leon the first time was no easy task - and recreating that victory would be just as hard.

Besides, Gloria was right exhausted. All she really wanted to do was curl up in her own bed again, returning to the thing she had been missing almost as much as she had Hop: sleep.

_I'd be the Slumbering Shield,_ she thought, amusing herself. She blinked. Say...

It was dangerous, but at this point, it was worth a shot.

Gloria had a Champion-level team, and she knew this with certainty. The first time she had made it to the depths of the Slumbering Weald, it was out of necessity, to save the region. This time, she was desperate enough to wander in without any hint Hop was here, saving for that he was nowhere else; she had looked.

Even she was unsure of her plan going in. All she knew was the pull to comfort him, as she had wanted to since the conversation with Leon upon her arrival at Hammerlocke. She envisioned Hop, torn up, shaking in solitude, curled around himself, and her quiet appearance beside him. He would lean against her, wordlessly, and she would reach for him and pet that soft purple wool of hair above his ears, and it would be damp with sweat, or mist, or tears, but she would not mind. She wanted to be his resting place, where everyone else doubted him, challenged him, defeated him: he would go to her, and cry on her shoulder, and she would tell him she was there, and he was loved, and that this would pass. And his fluffy jacket would rock against her side, and she would stroke the brittle fibres. And he would quit weeping, breaths becoming steady, and he would grin just a little, and not think that she would notice even though she would; and they would lie down and not even see the tops of the trees through the fog, because he was looking with dry eyes to the future, and she was looking at him. And he would believe her when she said he was going to have rest, and confidence, and love himself, and then he would; and there would be good days, and there would be bad days, but she would be there for all of them, and he would. Gloria had given this a lot of thought in the Wild Area, too.

She was quiet. To her surprise, Hop was not even hiding, merely standing at the altar where the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield still lay dormant. If he had been any quieter, he may have heard her.

"I just _don't _under_stand_. What was I supposed to _do_?" He punted a pebble onto the stone structure. "Zacian and Zamazenta, right? That's what Sonia said they called you. Why did you show up that day? What was the point?"

He waited, as if for an answer. Gloria was not too close that he would have been able to hear her breaths. "I know it wasn't just to save the Wooloo. You were - you were testing us, Gloria and me, somehow, else you wouldn't have spared us. Well - heh - right lot of good that did you, innit? We can't even beat a greasy bloke who didn't know about regional variants until he was seventeen!"

Far be it from Hop to ever talk about his brother like that, so Gloria did gasp a little. "He's the one who stopped all those wild Dynamaxes anyways. If that wasn't the threat you were trying to stop, then what _was_? You never even showed since that day. For all I know there could have just been one of you after all. For all I know, maybe you never even existed, and these were just the discarded remnants of some hero who thought he was all that." He was gesturing to the Rusted Sword and Shield. "Sounds right familiar, dunnit?"

He stooped down to get a good look at the Sword, seeming almost mesmerised by it. "What... What are you saying." His voice wavered. "You want me to take it?"

That was right - Gloria remembered feeling the pull toward the Shield the first time she was here. It could not have been a mistake that Hop was feeling it now. But it was a good question he posed: what threat still existed that would require the two heroes? Eternatus was already dormant in her Box 8.

Hop seemed to be resisting, however. "Why would you choose me. I don't get it. I'm the loser here: give it to Lee, he'll be able to protect Galar better than I ever could. He already has! Heck, it was just luck that I won against Gloria too, and _that _only happened once. Give it to her. Anybody but me, I don't deserve such an honor! I'm no hero! It's better if I stay out of the way, just in general."

Yet despite himself, he took a step closer to the Sword. "Gah. Zacian, right? There's no point. I'll just muck it all up like usual... I can't believe I'm saying this. But how dare you endanger Galar by entrusting such an item with the likes of me."

Despite himself, he picked up the Sword, feeling its weight. "I can throw a Quick Ball at a hundred fifty-one kilometres per hour. This looks a lot more aerodynamic, no? How far do you think I can chuck it!"

His arm was raised for the toss when he finally spotted Gloria beside him, almost entranced by the Shield in her hands. That was also the moment Gloria noticed she was beside him, holding the Shield.

"Egad! What are you doin' here?" Hop demanded, and she snapped to meet his eyes. "Listenin' in on me being shirty with the legendary heroes, eh? Or just here to rub it in that I lost?"

Gloria was taken aback so much that she dropped the Shield; surprisingly, it remained in one piece. "I-" She gave herself a second to catch up to her heart. "I was looking everywhere fer ye. Then this... it just called out to me."

Hop's face was unreadable. "That it?"

"Well - nae - I just wanted to say, I..." Now that she was finally given this chance, she could not seem to find the right words. "I'm sorry about what happened? And if you want to talk about it-"

"Don't be _sorry_, Gloria. You didn't do anything _wrong_. It was me who messed up and lost the battle. My favorite hobby, that, challenging trainers I can't defeat."

He looked down. "_I'm_ bloomin' sorry. I went and did just what I promised you I wouldn't. What was I thinking? If either of us could beat him, I bet it'd be you; but you didn't even get the chance to try because of me. How naïve can I get?"

The Sword clanged to the ground. In the time it took Gloria to think of a response, he interjected again. "Those days I spent tooting my own horn about being Galar's next Champion? How could I have known! How could I have known?" His arms were waving as he spoke; Gloria shifted backward, instinctively, as if worried she might get stricken by one. "I don't - I just - agh! And I can't stand this feeling of directionlessness either. If I have no ambitions, I have no purpose. But if I do have them, I'll only kick myself more and more after each failure. There's-" He stopped for a second, a desperate laughter sneaking into his voice. "There's no way to win. How bloomin' familiar!"

A beat passed. Gloria hummed, hummed. "Quite, with that attitude, mate. There are better ways..."

He gave her a look.

"...Uh, right. Sorry. I dinnae... I didnae ken ye were feelin' this way. Mate, I'm so saw-"

"And there you go, apologising again. Just-Just can it, please. The only thing you would have to be sorry for was if you somehow threw the battle in the semis to get me to fight Lee. Not like I could ever beat you when you were _really _trying, right?"

She gasped. "Hop! No..."

His eyes bore into hers. "Oi, that's exactly what you did, innit? Only you would be so - selfless. You knew how much I wanted it and you were just in it to see how far you could get, right?"

Her open mouth curved downwards. "I _know_ you would do it, Glory. And you made me think I was just the coolest little trainer, like I had any clue what was in store for me. Like I had any semblance of a chance? You know how long I'm going to be hearing about this loss? You wouldn't, because you've never had an undefeated Champion for a brother, right!"

This was not the Hop Gloria had ever known. She had seen him mad before, certainly, even at her directly; but now - firstly, he had a weapon, if a terrible one - and this was something that had been building up inside him for a while.

"I outta fight you just for showing up here. That's what you'd want, though, right? A battle? If I hadn't left my team at home."

Was this... Was this what Hop was feeling when she defeated him? She felt so much worse at the thought. But no, he had always been supportive of her, even over his brother when it came down to it, and she never did understand that.

"'Ey, Hops... Wh-Why are you mad at me?" Genuine hurt caught in her throat.

"I... I'm just frustrated, is all. S-Sorry. I haven't been treating you fairly. But I promised you I would win, then I didn't. How aren't you mad at me? I completely dropped the ball!"

She sighed. "You're a better trainer than ye give yourself credit fer. And please, dinnae think anything like that. You know I never lie to ye... Hop, have you - even spoken to Leon since?"

Hop looked down, then peered at her through the corners of his eyes. "No."

"'Cause he's impossible to reach, or..."

"I just don't want to be around him right now, can't you understand why? Of course I'm proud of how far he's come, and I'm proud to be his brother, but I haven't accomplished _anything_ to live up to that. All people know me for is being related to him and his stupid smug little face... Who _dyes_ their _beard? _Yeah, I said it! And he just - can't - stop - rubbing - it - in, always, constantly, even when he's not around: his face is plastered on every billboard from here to Wyndon! I can't escape him, so I have to defeat him, but I can't do that either, because I'm a bloomin' failure of a trainer and a right disappointment to my family. My teammates all deserve so much _better_.

"All this time, I talked big about wanting to be the _best_, but now, I just want to be _enough_. For the Hop at the beginning of this year, that would have been nothing less than Champion. Just ereyesterday night we were so, so happy together, because I was going to battle him and defeat him. And everyone praised me, and supported me, and believed in me, for having that dream. _Why?_"

He looked at the ground. Gloria found it too hard to hold eye contact with him, too. He squeezed his hands into fists.

"So I have to be alone for a while, hear? Got to get myself together, and I'm sorry, but I can't do that while trying to prove myself to - you, or Zacian, or Lee, or even my team. I just wish-"

His eyes welled up. "I just wish I had won! I would have made a pure brilliant Champion... If there were some way I could do it all again, right back to that moment, standing on the pitch - but there's no changing the past!"

He made sure the entire Slumbering Weald could hear it. Nearby, a skeeved pair of celebrities decided it would be best just to wait for the children to leave.

Hop turned and started down the steps, smearing his eyes with his sleeve. "I'll see you around, Gloria. At least I know you'll remember me."

She could hardly find it in herself to walk, much less stop him. Her only hope was to say something so pure dead genius that he would be left with no choice but to stay and let her nurse his mental wounds. Only, what? "W-Hop, wait."

He took another step or two, but did stop. Instead of turning around, he just looked upwards, hands in pockets, inviting her to speak.

"You don't really think that, do ye? About having to beat Lee? You know we all love you no matter how often you win er lose."

At that, he did not leave, so she had not blown it yet. He was quiet. "Who is '_we.'_"

"Ye-You know, your parents, Sonia, Lee, your team... m... me."

Now he looked down. "...I'll take your word for it." He covered his face in his hands. "And there you go saying these things, supporting me, like everyone else. I don't see why.

"Thank you for saying that, but it's not enough. I guess you won't understand."

Not _enough?_

"...Hops-"

"Just... be quiet. Please." He started walking again. "I'll _see you around._" His words bit.

No - no, no, no! What could she say? Her mind raced to think of a response that would not further bury her in blame, but by now he was already hurt. She was frozen in place, watching his purple hair quickly disappear behind the fog and then the trees.

What _rubbish! _Brilliant, now Gloria was feeling more guilty than ever. Had her acting truly been that bad? Maybe Hop did not really believe that she threw the battle, but he had at least considered it. If he had known, he would have been livid.

How had this all gotten to this point - how had this ending become so much worse than the first? Before, Gloria had just assumed Hop was upset, while now she was unsure if she should be worried about their friendship. Not to mention, his usual fondness for his brother had crumbled. If Leon knew, that would break him more than a loss in battle ever could.

Her foot grazed the Rusted Shield. Would letting Rose awaken Eternatus and summoning the legends with Hop have helped at all? She knew the four could stop them, but it was not an experience she quite wanted to redo. For Hop's sake... given the chance, though, she would try it.

Hop was long gone by now, she could be sure. So Gloria figured it was her turn.

"Zamazenta! Can ye hear me?"

No response from the wood, but what a shock that was.

"You must be somewhere... This Shield is connected to you, right? If you're out there, please, I need to know - do ye have anything to do with the Wishing Stars? I know how selfish it is of me to consider this, but-"

Her voice dropped to just above a whisper. "Please. If you would spare a second second chance... Not fer me, but fer them. I know what I did wasn't right. But Hop and Lee used to be so close, and it's like I've come between them... I care. I do care, so much, fer both of them, I just want them to make up and be the brothers they always were. They both deserved so much better - than this, than me. I'm ready to try again."

To the right of the monument, a flash of red caught her eye.

Upon closer inspection, Gloria could see it was not a Wishing Star but a Cheri berry, freshly ripened, that had just fallen into the territory of a hungry rodent, who quickly stole it away.

"Fffine," she decided. "I'll give up then. Clearly you two dinnae care about Hops and Lee as much as I do, so I mustn't have to either!"

She pivoted on her heel. "Too much effort, being friends with the Champion and his family. If Hop wants to stay in touch with me later, that's his prerogative, but until then, who cares! Not I! _I _didnae even want to be Champ in the first place!"

If she truly believed anything she just announced, Gloria was too tired to know. She headed home, leaving the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield to the whims of the Slumbering Weald.


	3. His Dire Circumstances

"Fossils restored: has science gone too far? Paleontologist Cara Liss addresses the ethics behind-"

"We need Dragon-Type Pokémon to help us prepare our food before we cook it. We're not sure why!"

"If by chance you're buying Poké Balls, then now's the time: there's a sale! For an extra-limited time, all you need to do is buy ten, and then, you'll get another one, free - completely free, it's on me!"

"Breaking: Turffield Stadium match interrupted by wild Dynamax Tsa-"

"And how does it feel to have finally won against your rival?"

Gloria's interest was piqued by the penultimate channel's news report, but she absentmindedly changed it to something even more pressing. The familiar velvet walls of the Rose of the Rondelands highlighted Hop's nervous face, filling her telly.

This must have been after she left the night before the finals. With a heavy sigh, she figured she might as well see what the boy had to say.

"I... It doesn't quite feel real yet, to be honest," he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. Yes, Gloria believed that.

"If you wanted to tell Challenger Gloria something right now, what would it be?"

Hop shifted. This time when he answered, she was not standing right next to him, and after yesterday's outburst, she was mighty curious at his response. "That she was just the rival I needed. Our battles always reminded me that there's still more to do if I'm going to beat Lee. Looks like I'm finally ready now, though, eh?"

Gloria's heart hurt.

"Level with me, kiddo. Your honest thoughts here. Think you can win the finals, too?"

Hop crossed his arms, uncharacteristically smug. "I've known Lee since before he ever picked up a Poké Ball. I've studied all his matches; I know all his strengths and weaknesses. I've had all year to build a team that counters his perfectly, down to the last Power Point." The camera zoomed in dramatically on his face. "Hope Lee's ready, because tomorrow, Galar's getting a new Champ. Love him to death, but the look on his face when little brother Hop does him in... it's going to be delicious, mate."

"Well, there you have it! Challenger Hop, folks."

This interview was already dated, and surely a rerun; how poorly it had aged. Right: Gloria had given up on Hop and Leon. What was happening in Turffield?

"Now it seems that the same is occurring in the stadiums at Hulbury and Motostoke. Were Champion Leon's efforts not enough to stop the spontaneous Dynamaxing? When will it cease? These are the questions that Galar residents have been asking all week."

Gloria's expression was flat. Rubbish! Why was this still happening? Frustrated, she opened her Pokémon Box Link: aye, Eternatus was still there. What happened, then?

_Only one way to find out_, she admitted reluctantly with an audible "_Ugh."_ She tore the blankets off her legs and onto the family Munchlax.

* * *

Gloria ran through what information she had on the taxi ride to Hulbury. Wishing Stars, Dynamax Bands, Power Spots, Galar particles... Gloria wished she had paid more attention to the science behind it all when things were less out of control.

She racked her brain to remember what any of this had to do with Eternatus; originally, Rose had been - what - bombarding it with Wishing Stars? Which eventually caused it to awaken, lose control, and "Eternamax," as the Pokédex put it. Maybe this could be related, if Gloria could only figure out how.

From the air, Gloria could see the gargantuan Gyarados soaring above Hulbury Stadium. Quickly as she could, Gloria burst through the doors, already sending out a Pokémon.

On her way to the fray, a giant shadow appeared above Gloria's head: it took a second for her to realise what it was, and when she did, she nearly yelped.

Terror propelled her legs out of the way as a massive Dynamax Rillaboom landed where she was mere seconds prior.

Hop had a Rillaboom. Wait, there he was, fighting the Gyarados alongside Piers and Nessa. Fine, she would end it and leave quickly then.

Electric-Types were fast and expert Gyarados demolishers, and Gloria's was no exception. It seemed Rillaboom would not even have to attack, as once Gloria joined the battle, it was over.

* * *

The four trainers met in the lobby of Hulbury Stadium.

"Well, look who decided to show up," a certain purple-haired teen remarked. "Thanks for completely _saving the day_ back there."

_Um, was that supposed to be an insult? _"Ah thought ye wanted to be alone fer a while."

Hop hummed. "I did. But when things like this start to happen, you don't quite have a choice, have you? I had to come help."

"And for that, I thank all of you," Nessa cut in. "We were able to get everyone else evacuated, but the other stadiums are still being overrun. We must act quickly."

Piers nodded. "I'll be in Motostoke next if anyone wants to join me." And he left without elaborating further.

Hop and Gloria shared a glance, but did not speak. "Aye, no problem, Nessa," Gloria concluded. "Ah'm going to - leave now."

Well, if there were more of these, at least it would make a great distraction from having to think about Hop.

* * *

That was what Gloria thought, for some reason, expecting him not to unintentionally follow everywhere she went.

In Motostoke, Gloria was able to Dynamax her Ground-Type and take care of the wild Torkoal handily, but not before it knocked out his Rillaboom in one supereffective hit.

The situation only got worse from there. The stadiums at Stow-on-Side, Ballonlea, Circhester, and Hammerlocke each had multiple Dynamax Pokémon out of control. Gloria had to face them all alone while the trainers helping her took on their own. It was terribly uneasy trying to avoid Hop as they, Piers in tow, hit each city; but it was nice, taking out some frustration on Pokémon that were being even more hostile than they.

Gloria was not paying attention to Hop and his battles, but if she was, she would have noticed how he grew increasingly frustrated with himself, his Pokémon, his losses, and she would have felt the all-too-familiar pangs of guilt wrap around her sides, the tips of her ears burning as she commanded an onslaught of Max Moves.

What foolishness was it that let her think she could fix him? Why did she care so much, when clearly he did not want the help she longed to provide? There he was, still within sight, within reach, and she could even talk to him if she tried, but she had already lost him; curses to her filterless mouth.

She told him that she loved him, and he told her outright it was not enough. What more was there to say?

The ragtag team exited the pitch of Hammerlocke Stadium to find a pair of fancily-dressed individuals tampering with the door to the underground power plant. "The electric lock is fried? But how!"

"They surely didn't see us coming."

"Oh, heavens not. Their security must just be this terrible naturally."

"But the door is cemented to the wall!"

"Pah! As if that would stop the likes of us?"

"I have never implied that."

And with that, the final speaker withdrew an Ultra Ball, and with its contents, slashed the metal away from its bearings. Raihan, close by, shouted after them.

"Hey, what do you two think you're doing?"

Two identical, squeaky-clean, comically-adorned, confidently smug faces met his as the rest of the party caught up. In Gloria's honest opinion, they looked utterly preposterous in those gaudy red and blue suits; yet it seemed they thought they appeared intimidating. The thing that scared Gloria the most was their idea of a great hairstyle.

"What it takes," one started, then his mirror finished: "To win back our thrones!"

With that, and a snap of some fingers, the loosed Pokémon shoved down the door. "Ta ta!"

"Why, those..." Hop muttered through his teeth.

Gloria's mind raced to process the situation: all these random Dynamax Pokémon must have been caused by something, and this couple of suspicious weirdos was promising answers.

"I don't trust those two," Raihan splurted. "I can count on you to take them down, right?"

Gloria spun her gaze upwards to his. "There's still a lot of ruckus up here I need to take care of. The three of you should have no trouble against that lot." Understanding, she nodded. "If you need anything, you've got my number!"

* * *

In the basement, the three remaining trainers - Hop, Gloria, and Piers - were met with the hideous sight of just one pompous hairstyle. A sword - that was what Gloria was reminded by it!

"Hey, I think you lot owe us an explanation," Hop demanded, voice cracking on the last word.

The trainer, draped in blue, shook his head. "You simpletons are owed nothing by the glorious Swordward! Descendant of Galar's first king, the slayer of the Darkest Day, and savior of Galar? I think not!"

"Aye, that last sentence is pretty apparent," Gloria commented under her breath. For someone talking so highly of himself, his eyes bore no hints that any substantial thoughts had ever formed behind them.

"And that deplorable Sonia Magnolia and her quaint little history book - more like a fairy tale, if you ask me. How dare she publish such fiction about those Pokémon as fact! The ancestor of my formidable younger brother, Shielbert, and myself was the true hero, and we will not do to have that erased."

Hop's eyes widened. "Oi! Sonia published a book? Good on her! I ought to ask her advice on the publishing process."

Piers seemed more focused. "Say, what are you planning then, mate?"

"Oh, just to see how people'd react at the sight of, say, Dynamax Zacian and Zamazenta? Sheilbert probably already has them bloated to massive proportions. If they were the true heroes, we would all have nothing to fear by them, no?"

Gloria's jaws gritted together. "That is... not how that works," Piers stated simply. "Dynamaxing isn't something you can just force on Pokémon. That isn't _right_."

"Stand to prove it?" Swordward withdrew his Ultra Ball.

Matching, Piers gave in. "Rock and roll."

Gloria glanced toward the stairs. The roof of Hammerlocke Stadium was capable of enabling Eternamax, but she knew nothing else could Dynamax there. Wordlessly, she sprinted in that direction: Piers would distract the brother in blue, while one-time Champion Gloria, Galar's Shield, would save the day or yield trying.

Her footsteps almost muffled the sound of Hop's voice behind her. "Blooming coward..."

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter today. Friday's will be the last, and it should make up for the length, hopefully.**

**To the guest reviewer, I'm guessing by granny guy you mean either Mustard or Kabu, and... yeah, I'd take one for either of them if we got one. But I was very glad to see The Boy in today's.**

**My goodness, though, Swordward and Shielbert are so fun to write! They're just terrible in the best way.**


	4. Her Second Second Chances

**Thank you for reading this far! There were a lot of different ways this chapter could go, and there was a looot of reworking done to it over time. I think I'm happy with this version.**

**To the person who reviewed - gah, I would have loved an episode on Bede. Who is mostly irrelevant to this story; unfortunate, because other than Leon and Hop, Bede is one of my favorites. Anyway, I knew what you meant about Swordward and Shielbert - it's all good! They were written, in the games, to be totally unlikable, and they were great at being that. Here, they have to be a mix of Comically Bad and Actually Threatening and I hope I was able to do it right.**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

"_Infinite amounts of energy pour from this Pokémon's enlarged core, warping the surrounding space-time." -the Pokédex on Eternamax Eternatus, Pokémon Shield version_

* * *

"Hahahaha! Yes, this is brilliant indeed! You so-called legends... Now is your chance to run rampant. Just a few more Galar particles and you two will both become ginormous, the heights of skyscrapers!"

Shielbert was standing with his back towards Gloria, his arms extended in an inviting fashion. In front of him, Zacian and Zamazenta were trembling, their powers seeming ready to burst. With both the Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield adorned, they looked ready to level cities, if they were not in so much pain.

"Doubtful, if I have anything to say about it," Leon's voice was strained. Dotting the scene, a few Pokémon Gloria recognised as his team members were unconscious or nursing their wounds. By now, the young trainer was unsure either of them had noticed her yet, but her hand was already at her hip, fingering a Poké Ball.

"Silence, you egg, I have no business with you. Mm... You, with the blade. Eliminate the distraction, would you?"

Zacian's eyes burned red, its Intrepid Sword scraping the metal floors while the Pokémon sprinted towards an unprepared Leon, raising it high in the air.

Fortunately, defeat was out of the unbeatable Champion's lexicon.

Always by his side, Charizard was there to defend his body, if not his dignity. The dragon's wingspan was unbothered by the hardened steel. From the ground, squinting one eye, Leon was grinning. "That all you got?"

But he was compromised, as Gloria could see. "Oi! Those Pokémon are out of control," she observed. Shielbert turned to her flatly. "We need to calm them down."

Distracted, Shielbert was knocked to the ground by a swipe from one of Zamazenta's paws. Gasping for breath, he scrambled backwards: "S-So it seems," he stammered. "Excellent. This is _just _what we were hoping for. Soon, the whole region will... What are you doing."

"Battling it, what does it look like?" Her first Pokémon was already in a fighting stance.

Shielbert smirked, snickered. "Go ahead. You lost in the semifinals, have you not? This will be a _wonderful _first demonstration." He picked himself up and stepped out of harm's way.

Focused, Gloria tried not to notice the appearance of a frightened Hop beside her. "Woah!" His eyes were wide. "Okay, not a coward. Not a coward!"

"Hop, get out of here," Leon instructed, not letting his eyes leave Zacian's. "Just - leave this to the adults; it's very dangerous." The legendary he was facing bit down on its Sword.

Light on his feet, as if ready to run at any point, Hop spluttered an explanation. "Piers lost to the other creep. His team was very well-equipped to deal with Dark-Types, I'm afraid."

The first of Gloria's team fainted, and she sent another. "Blast!" the boy continued, having noticed the titan staring down Charizard. "That's why you wanted me to have the Rusted Sword. And I-I wanted to throw it away!"

Leon had no time to look at his brother. "Hop!"

"Aye, Hop." Gloria cut in. "Either get to safety er start pulling yer weight. This is no time to feel bad about - yourself."

The hesitation in her voice occured at the defeat of her second Pokémon. She sent another, attempting to steady her breathing.

"There, Zacian... Calm yourself. Sonia told me what you've done for Galar." Leon was consoling the other trembling canine, one arm out for his own protection. "That's it." With his other arm, he reached for his side, where he surely had some Ball or other, if the need arose for it. "I know you don't want to do this. You're not a monster, no matter what these weirdos want Galar to believe."

He took the slightest step forward. Zacian growled; Leon lowered his arm, and Charizard his wings, but his very presence was apparently too threatening. Zacian turned away, toward Gloria, reared down, and sprinted in her direction.

She yelped, throwing her hands above her, as the massive Pokémon leapt over her head and off the roof.

Heart rate slowly receding, she made brief eye contact with Leon, who was understandably stunned. Then her Pokémon fainted, and she refocused.

The foe dressed in blue strode, ducking slightly, up to the scene. "All going well, younger brother," he observed. "Say, you-" he sneered at Hop - "I thought I told you not to meddle. Here, let me quell you shortly."

It seemed Hop, gulping, had no choice but to battle. Gloria scoffed, knowing already how it was going to end. Hop was strong! But right now, he was in no shape to win anything. Neither was she, she added, rotating out her fourth fainted teammate.

Within minutes, Hop and Gloria were each down for the count, knocked to the ground by the force of their opponents' moves. Zamazenta remained stalwart, hardly dented. Leon balled his fists, making his way toward the brothers.

Zamazenta narrowed in on the young trainers. The brothers beckoned it to sow destruction elsewhere, still somehow under the impression that it could be controlled. But the Pokémon was clearly resisting movement.

"It's still going berserk," Hop whimpered. Leon, seeing his family threatened, was so serious he did not even speak: he and Charizard appeared in front of the children, always their first and last line of defence. His Pokémon, while as intimidating as he in appearance, was clearly hurt.

Leon the unbeatable was there, but Hop was still quivering. "Now I really just wish I never even beat you in the semis," he admitted, head turned in Gloria's direction, eyes locked on the Pokémon. "Is that selfish of me? I'm so useless, you should have just put me in my place right there and then."

Gloria gritted her teeth, inhaling sharply. _After all I've done to get you that chance..._ But she realised he was right. If she had just stayed Champion in the first place, Gloria would have at least been strong enough to handle a single angered Pokémon.

She wished it would not have come to this. She stood. "Enough."

Investing the few seconds she had, Gloria opened her Box Link and withdrew Eternatus.

There was no time for her to bother explaining to Hop and Leon, who were gobsmacked. They took turns spewing baffled nonsense.

"Blimey! What _is _that thing!"

"Crivens, Gloria!"

"When did you-"

"Big ol' skeleton-lookin' thing-!"

"Oi, you're pulling my leg, right mate?"

"Criminy..."

"Bloomin' _dragon_."

Even Swordward and Shielbert were flabbergasted. They were not counting on _that_.

Eternatus and its Dynamax Cannon move would be powerful enough to stop nearly anything that Zamazenta could throw out. It was not Dynamaxed, but it was full of Galar Particles, and Gloria wondered if that would be enough to double the move's damage.

Finger extended in command, the name of the move on her tongue, Gloria expected to wrap up quickly.

Apparently Eternatus had other plans. As if knowing what she had done, it flew off somewhere west, leaving every remaining human in danger.

"Rubbish," she squeaked inaudibly.

Well, that plan failed, and only Leon had any healthy Pokémon remaining. Gloria, who threw away all her restores prior to her match with Hop, had no way to revive her team, and everything that remained in her Boxes was still untrained, at the levels they were caught. It seemed the humans would not need Pokémon for now, however: Zamazenta howled, then leaned back on its haunches.

It leaped off the roof in the direction opposite Zacian's. In both of their wakes, the trainers could already see wild Pokémon growing to terrifying sizes.

"Well! I'd say this has been a great success," Swordward remarked. "Brother?"

"Another fine win of ours. Let us savour it... elsewhere, away from these disrespected plebeians."

Gloria attempted to follow, but they locked the only door. Her Electric-Type was unconscious, and the skies were rapidly becoming too dangerous for taxis.

"Blast," Gloria muttered. "This wasn't supposed to happen." Tears appeared in her ducts, but she swallowed them.

"What do we do now?" Hop offered optimistically.

"I-I dinnae ken! I didnae plan fer this. Ugh, how dim can I be?"

Hop turned to his brother. "And you're awfully quiet."

The two waited in silence for Leon, whose eyes were obscured by his ball cap. "I did... I did not expect that. I couldn't do anything."

Gloria walked forward so that she was next to Hop. "Neither could we-"

"It's my duty as Champion to keep the region safe, by eliminating any threat to it. When that means defeating a deviant trainer, it's nothing I can't handle, but..." He stroked Charizard by the neck. "Some situations call for skills that have nothing to do with battle. Skills that I - don't have, apparently."

He sighed, voice shaking, just a tad. "I'm used to being able to save the day by just knocking out six Pokémon, or by capturing a particularly dangerous one. I... I'm not sure what to do when that doesn't solve it. We could-" His head swung around, surveying all angles. From his height, on the castle roof, he could probably see his whole region. "We could - we have to get-" Gloria bit her lip as the Champion became more desperate. "I hate this sense of hopelessness. It's so - demoralising!"

"Yeah. Welcome to the club, mate," Hop returned flatly, as if he did not care how quickly the situation was becoming sour.

Leon looked upwards toward the distance. "Galar is in a great danger right now; no more time for dawdling or bickering. My pride may be injured, but I'm still your Champion and I must not give up till everyone is safe."

He strode to the edge of the roof, measuring the distance to the ground. "No taxis, eh. If we could only fly away on a Pokémon, that would solve it all..." He shook his head. "Charizard is far too injured to try it. Especially in skies like these."

Pokémon nearby towered over buildings. Gloria could even see a couple Gigantamax Pokémon - but she could not be distracted.

So that was it. They were stuck up here, while the region was terrorised by the creatures everyone knew only as friends and heroes. Leon was scrambling for answers, and his relationship with Hop was clearly on the fritz; who could blame them, the way Hop had been acting recently. Ugh! And Hop, that boy who drove her out to the Wild Area for a week out of pity... All she wanted was for him to have a decent victory under his belt, but she ended up with - this. How Aspear-shaped this whole thing had gone.

There he was, pacing diligently across the roof, occasionally grasping at strands of purple hair. He was no longer the Hop she grew up with but a neurotic, twitching bundle of self-judgement that had been exacerbated to a toxic degree.

_This isn't what I wanted._

Every time he lost, his entire team felt it, physically and emotionally. They must not be so fond of him right now, in fact, and that only worsened the odds of him ever winning again. He had always wanted to be a trainer like his brother! And now that he was, it was destroying him! No matter how many times he vowed to become better, stronger, more independent.

_This isn't what I asked for._

He was mad at her, and all she wanted to know was why. Right, he wanted alone time. And here he was, not avoiding the two people that had sent his ego to pot but rather trapped on a roof with them. Why did he have to take the loss to Leon so poorly? When he lost to her in the semifinals, losing his chance to even try against his brother, his dream - he was still so proud, so supportive, so full of love for the both of them. Try as she might, Gloria could not understand why that had not hurt him more. After how terrible she felt in the Wild Area for having done it, how could that have been the right ending? Was the Wishing Star really more of a Grookey's paw?

_This isn't what I wished for._

So this was what could have been: the world in which Hop beat Gloria and battled through the finals. The consequences of his opportunity to battle his brother... Now, as the panic grew and chances of escape seemed slim, Galar's most powerful League challengers and their Champion were locked away from the action. Unable to help, Hop and Leon took to bickering bitterly. Leon was being uncharacteristically serious, the same demeanour he only wore to intimidate challengers. Hop was spitting objections at all his orders, not being afraid to throw Gloria under the bus when he could. Hop might have been mad at her, but he was always such good mates with his brother, and the two of them were undoubtedly worse off than the versions that had been jointly defeated by her.

This was not Hop. This was not Gloria's best friend!

_This isn't what I wished for!_

Soon she was unable to even look between the two any longer. Stupid fragile egos, sibling power imbalance, inability to work together after hurting each other! How hard was it to get along with someone you have known all your life, anyhow? _Rubbish!_

Nerves rattled, she spun and walked purposefully toward the door, knowing it would never budge. Her foot punted something on the ground, sending it metres away.

Eternatus had left behind a shimmering stone in its wake: a Wishing Star!

Gloria skipped up to it. "Oi. You two," she called, silencing them both. "I know things have gone a bit awry tonight, but... we're still friends, right?"

Leon looked at her, then dismissed her. "Yeah, of course."

Hop narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"I just... I just want ye to know, I - love both of ye, so much, and I'm sorry that all this happened, and - I just hope... we can be friends, forever... I needed to get that off me chest."

"Glory?" Hop's face softened.

"Thank you, I just had to say that!" She grabbed the Wishing Star, which filled her hand. It burned her palm, but then, what did she expect. She lifted it into the sky, eyes clenched, head bowed, in a familiar position.

There was a bright light.

* * *

"Challenger Gloria, you're on in five!"

The girl looked up in slight surprise, face and hands burning.

"Hop's match was over quicker than expected. You're on in five."

There she was deliberating in Wyndon Stadium's locker room, her team of Pokémon itching in their balls, still pumped from their fight against Marnie. Was it relief or grief that she was feeling? No, she knew which it was.

She sniffled. She was alone, so nobody saw the damp marks appear on her uniform shorts. Nobody saw the raw, charred patches of skin on her palm. How pathetic... She gently covered her face with her hands and wept silently for a few minutes.

She knew what she had to do.

* * *

_A critical hit!_

Gloria's eyes were wide. Her strategy did not account for this - but then, Hop always surprised her.

Zamazenta knelt, the weight of its Dauntless Shield forcing its body to the dark green of the deep Slumbering Weald. Gloria lifted its Ultra Ball; she was defeated.

"W-What?"

Hop was smiling, but hesitantly, as if he was unsure what just happened. "That was your last... right?"

"M-hm."

"I won?"

Gloria was afraid to say anything. "Ye... got a crit, that's the only reason."

It was true. If that had not happened, Gloria had enough Max Potions to survive enough Close Combats to win, Zacian's defences dropping each turn. But it did not seem to matter to Hop.

"Wow! Does that make me the Champion now?" His jovial tone showed he was joking. He called back Zacian, thanking it for everything.

"Uhhhh, this wasn't an exhibition match."

"I know, but I still beat you. Boy, next year's tournament looks promising for me, though!" He was nearly singing. "Come on, I know that wasn't all you got! I thought I told you not to hold back."

What a familiar accusation. "Um, no. I really was trying, Hops! How dare you." She did not mean to be so harsh. "Our matches have always been close, anyway."

Hop considered this. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Blast, if I was ever going to beat you, I wish it would have happened in the semifinals, heheh. No offence."

Gloria balled a subtle fist. "None taken," she squeaked. "How... does it feel?"

"I... It doesn't quite feel real yet, to be honest."

She smiled softly. "Hey, uh, can we - take a seat?" She gestured to the edge of the monument, about a decimetre off the grass.

The two did. The Slumbering Weald was quiet, and the thick fog created by the resident Weezing obscured most of the scenery: it was just them.

"I had a... dream, recently, that I - lost to you in the semifinals. It was weird, because I was trying so, so hard to win, but I just couldn't! But I wasn't sad that I lost... just relieved that Ah didnae have to fight Lee, I guess."

Hop paid close attention. "You didn't want to?"

"Of course I wanted to! I just didnae believe I could win."

He scoffed. "You." He broke eye contact, but still appeared amused. "What happened? Did I beat him?"

Oh, she did not think this through. What would she say? "You... did great!"

"But I lost."

"...Yeh. Ah mean, dreams are weird, so I dinnae ken what it means, er if that's what would - actually - have happened..." Her voice grew extremely quiet and mumbly at the last part; she coughed. "Point is, you and him just got... really mad at each other after that. It was terrible! So I just wanted to - have ye seen Lee since the tournament?" Curiously, when she and Hop stopped Swordward and Shielbert this time around, he was nowhere to be found.

Hop chuckled. "It's impossible to get ahold of him after the finals, _especially_ this year."

"...Oh."

"Are you kidding? You know he always makes time for his brother though!"

"Ah. And is he - how is he taking it?" Her concern was written across her face.

"Pretty well, actually, considering. He somehow got the rights to Rose Tower and turned it into this brand-spankin'-new battling facility. And he's been waiting for you to show up to challenge him!"

Gloria pumped her fists. "That Lee! Ah should have known. Well, there go me plans fer the weekend."

"Anyway, yeah, the whole region's pretty shocked about what happened. I'm sure you've noticed." Gloria nodded. "But he's not letting it get to him. He's still-" he chuckled again. "He's still having a champion time."

Gloria breathed a sigh of relief. She was expecting him to have been destroyed. "That's good. But you two have been getting along all right, yes? That's what I wanted to make sure of."

"Glory." Hop put a hand on her shoulder. "We've never been closer."

That sure put a smile on her face. Only now did she notice just how close the two were sitting. Here it was: the chance she had been pleading for. "Good, good. Um..." How could she put this? "And there was, ah... something else."

His words echoed. "_Thank you for saying that, but it's not enough."_ She needed to know, somehow, what that meant - and if it was still true.

She nearly wished he was paying an iota less attention, but his eyes were locked on her. "I know, over the last few months, ye've been having some trouble with yourself, nae?"

He swallowed. "...W-Was it that obvious?"

She nodded sorrowfully. He looked down.

"So I wanted you to know, if there's anything you want to talk about, ye can always come to me. B-But all of us are behind you, win er lose. You know that, aye?"

A tick. "Aye."

"Ah wouldn't understand the pressure ye're under. But Lee loves you, and so do your parents, and your Pokémon, and so do I-"

The last words spilled out before Gloria realised they were there. She was stunned for a tick as her train of thought derailed and she stumbled to remember her point. "All Ah'm saying is, you should too."

Why was it so hard to say? And what must Hop be thinking after something like that?

"...Thank you..." he said slowly. He leaned so slightly closer, and accidentally brushed her leg. "I'm still working on that. But I needed to hear that, I guess you know. Thanks, Glory." Her hand appeared on top of his. "I don't deserve you."

She clicked her tongue. "You deserve it all."

They shared a look. He closed his eyes and leaned on her, and she tried to hold him in a kind of sideways hug that worked better in her mind. Thankfully, it only lasted a few seconds before they pulled away amicably.

"So. You're the Champ now, huh."

"M-hm."

"Completed the Pokédex yet?"

"...Working on it."

"If I have anything you need, I can trade it to you."

"Thanks. In advance."

They looked away.

"So Leon's running the Battle Tower, Bede and Marnie are Gym Leaders, Sonia's the new Pokémon professor, and I'm... Well, what's next fer you, Hop? Whatever it is, I want to help you get there."

"I... I don't know. It's been tough, having a goal for so long and then realising it's not for me. I don't even know yet, whether I'm giving up because I want to, or because I just couldn't do it, but - huh. It did feel good to help everyone out back there. And, I might not be the strongest trainer, but I must be something, for Zacian to have chosen me. So I think I want to use my strength to help others; I'm just not sure how."

That gave Gloria an idea. "Have you thought about joining the Ranger Union?"

He sat up straight. "B-But I'm not fit enough for that!"

Oh. "Aye. Ah forgot ye were a bloomin' nerd."

He chuckled painfully. "I am."

"So, what then?"

"Do... I have to decide right now?"

"...Ah suppose not. True. In the meantime, would ye like to, I dinnae ken... catch up sometime? It's been a tick since we were able to do things together, but the Gym challenge is over now. The year went by so quickly."

"Sonia mentioned there have been sightings of new Gigantamax Pokémon in the Wild Area."

"Pure brilliant! It's a plan."

He raised his right hand, and they shook on it.

Then something ahead of them caught Hop's eye. "Speaking of."

Through the fog, the figure of Sonia slowly strode into view. "Sorry I'm so late!" she explained, "Piers wound up needing my help to wrangle up those two weirdos. But we've got it all under control."

She looked around. The teens were still sitting next to each other, close enough that their legs were touching. "Um... where is Zacian? Were you two able to calm it down?"

Gloria cut in before Hop could try. "Hop did! Before I even made it, actually."

"Yeah!" He stood up. "I caught it and everything! Want me to show you?"

Sonia's eyes widened. She held her hands up defensively: "Uh, I'll take your word for it, thanks." Gloria stood as well. "And, hey, I brought along a friend."

Leon stepped into view. "There you two are! I heard you had a little trouble while I was cleaning up after the chairman in Wyndon."

"Leon!"

"Hey! Yeah, it was weird, but we've got it all sorted out now. I caught a legendary," Hop explained nonchalantly.

Gloria rubbed her arm. "I did too..."

Leon threw his head back in laughter. "That's my brother and neighbour for you! My, you both have gotten so strong. It's nearly got me choked up."

Hop giggled, Gloria blushed.

"You remember what I said, Hopscotch? I've been watching all your matches in the League challenge, and I've become so impressed. I want to battle you! You know where to find me when you're ready."

Hop's eyes lit up: it looked as though there were stars in them. "Gee! I don't know what to say. I-I don't think I'd win, not against you..."

Gloria swallowed.

"Don't care," Leon responded. "You don't have to be able to beat me, or Gloria, or anyone for me to be proud of you. Whatever you end up wanting to do, you have my support - as your brother, your rival, and your friend. I want to see firsthand how far you've come."

Hop bit his cheek. "Well, shucks, I can't say no to that! I'll be sure to put together my best team. I do know all your weaknesses, after all." He lifted an eyebrow tauntingly.

"That's the spirit! As for you." Leon focused on Gloria, making her shrink a little. "How's Champion life treating you?"

"It's... uh, a lot of work."

Leon smirked. "You'll get used to it quick. I will say this whole thing was a great surprise to me, but in the end, I'm glad it was one of the trainers I endorsed that carried on my legacy. Plus, I didn't realise how freeing it was to be rid of all those paparazzi!"

Everyone chuckled. "Anyway, same goes for you. I expect you in the Battle Tower at your earliest convenience."

He struck his signature pose, and now Gloria's eyes were starry. She lived next to the coolest pair of brothers in Galar - no, the world!

Sonia coughed. "All right, that's all well and good; but all this fog is messing my lungs right up. This isn't exactly the best place for a chin-wag, after all."

Gloria looked up. Through the treetops and the dense air, it was impossible to see the sun. Even Gloria was getting a little sick of the temperature. "All right then, it's a race to get home first!" she announced.

"You're on!"

She and Leon took off. "Hey, no fair! You live closer, Glory!" Hop whined, following closely on their heels.

The images of her friends quickly fading behind the fog, Sonia shook her head. "You lot have to make a competition out of everything, don't you?" Yet, despite herself, she shifted the bag beneath her lab coat and trotted along in the direction of Postwick.


End file.
